Infrastructure experts validate EAC transport strategy

Infrastructure experts from the five EAC partner states are meeting in Kigali to validate the draft final report of the East African Transport Strategy and Roads Development Programme (EATSRDP) This is the final of series of meetings that have been held since the commencement of the study in June 2009.The deputy Secretary-General of the EAC in charge of Planning and infrastructure, Alloys Mutabingwa, who opened the conference, revealed to The New Times that the Customs Union and Common Market cannot be realized unless infrastructure is considered. “The achievement of the full benefits of the Customs Union and the Common Market will not be realized unless our market is anchored by efficient and networked transport infrastructure,” said Mutabingwa. “Both these integration pillars envisage robust intra-regional trade and free movement of goods and services as key factors of success.” He further noted that after the finalization of the report, it will be presented to the Council of Ministers for approval before implementation. The EAC Transport strategy is a 10-year programme that will indentify short and medium term interventions required to develop transport infrastructure in the region that will support economic growth. The strategy covers all the sub-sectors including civil aviation, railways, ports, roads, and inland waterways as well as maritime. The three-day conference has attracted over 70 delegates comprising government and private sector players from all member countries and EAC secretariat. Ends

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Infrastructure experts validate EAC transport strategy